Missing You
by volleychick08
Summary: Hilde's pov. Two years of peace but Duo's dead. She's ready to see her friends again at the anniversary of peace gala. But who sent those roses, anyway? Can Relena figure it out? *part four is up*
1. Default Chapter

~ ~ ~ Missing You~ ~ ~  
  
Okay so basically, wrote this one a LONG time ago. It's kind of lengthy so there will be more chapters very very soon. Please review, hope you like!!  
  
Disclaimer: not mine, kk?  
  
~*~  
  
Hilde looked curiously at the bouquet of flowers. They were addressed to her, but she hadn't touched them since they'd been delivered. Who would send her flowers? It wasn't her birthday, or any special holiday. The mystery puzzled her. Her deep blue eyes were clouded over in deep thought, yet she couldn't think of whom the sender could be. She knew the only way to find out was to look at the card, but something held her back.  
  
She reached out hesitantly and fingered the soft petals of a rose. The feeling was relaxing; it helped her to forget some of the stresses of her day. She knew that the next step would be to look at the card, and then the mystery would be solved. She took a deep breath and delicately plucked the card from inside the bouquet. Her hands were almost shaking as she ripped open the small envelope and read the inside card.  
  
She couldn't believe it. Her heart raced faster, and she kept staring at the card in shock. How could it be? The flowers.the card...they were.from him. Tears began to flood her eyes as a shocked and relieved feeling washed over her young body.  
  
But her body tensed up when she realized that there was something wrong. Hilde's expression turned to a look of bewilderment. They were from Duo, but.but he was dead. He had been for over a year. So how had she gotten flowers from him?  
  
It seemed like opening that card had just created a bigger mystery, one that baffled her mind. Perhaps someone was just playing a cruel joke on her. Yes, that was it.it was just a joke. Hilde sighed and put the card back into its envelope. She chuckled ruefully, for a second she'd almost allowed herself to believe.but it was impossible. He was gone for good.  
  
But that card caused memories to rise up in her mind. Painful reminders of the life she once had with Duo. She saw his beautiful smile, and remembered how much she used to laugh at his clever jokes. Only Duo could make her laugh like that, and make her as happy as she was then. It all seemed like a dream; far away from the lonely reality that Hilde now lived in. Her world had become a cold desolate place without Duo to keep it warm with his laughter.  
  
But she remembered his dedication to peace and tried to keep it alive within her own heart, allowing a part of Duo to live on. She was now a full- time part of the Preventers, working to keep Duo's dream alive. Some of their friends from the war had also joined the Preventers and together they were creating a safe future for the earth and the colonies. And the future already looked bright, for there had been peace for almost two years.  
  
The Gundam pilots had found their own paths in life. Wufei was a Preventer alongside Sally Po, and Quatre and Trowa had struck out on their own. Heero did some Preventer work himself, but mostly stayed in the shadows, rarely contacting any of his war comrades. Duo became a full-time, full-fledged Preventer. He moved back to Colony L2 as a spy, scouting for possible uprisings among the colonies. Hilde had gone with him, doing some part-time Preventer work herself, but also running her garage for money.  
  
And so things had gone on for a peaceful year. There were hardly any incidents to worry about in the colonies, and so Duo got a lot of free time to spend with Hilde. They quickly realized what their true feelings were, and were soon more than just friends.  
  
The days and months flew by filled with happiness and laughter. And it wasn't long before Duo proposed to her. He'd thought about it carefully, but come to the conclusion that they were meant for each other. And so he'd taken advantage of a Preventer-related trip to the earth. One moonlit night he got Hilde to take a walk along the beach with him, and he'd asked her to be his forever. Hilde had ecstatically agreed.  
Hilde's train of memories ended abruptly when her vidscreen acknowledged an incoming call. She snapped out of her trance-like state and flipped the on switch. The face of Relena Peacecraft appeared in the vidwindow. "Oh hi Relena! Nice to see you." Hilde said, surprised but happy to see her friend.  
  
"The same to you, Hilde. It's been awhile." Relena smiled and Hilde did the same, "Yes, it's been too long."  
  
Relena spoke again, "But I'm going to change that. I have something to ask you." Hilde cocked an eyebrow, "Go on."  
  
"Ok, well as you know, the second anniversary of the achievement of peace and establishment of the Preventers organization is close at hand," Relena said cheerfully. "Yes, I know."  
  
Relena continued, "Well to commemorate this occasion, I'm hosting a party at my mansion. You are invited, of course. Will you be able to come? Please say you will, Hilde." Hilde smiled; Relena was one of her best friends.  
  
"I'd love to, when is it going to be?" Relena laughed, "Oh yes, sorry I forgot to tell you that. It's going to be held in two weeks on Saturday. So will you come? Everyone's going to be there."  
  
"Everyone?" Hilde asked.  
  
"Yeah, the whole gang has agreed to come. Even Heero's going to be there, he promised he would." Relena blushed a little at this, but her feelings for Heero had always been obvious. She continued, "And he never breaks his promises. It'll be a reunion, just like old times. I can't wait to see every." Relena stopped mid-sentence, noticing the tears welling up in Hilde's eyes.  
  
"Oh Hilde, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean too." Hilde shook her head and smiled a little, "No, Relena. Don't worry about it. The party sounds like a blast. It'll be great to see everyone again. And besides, a reunion is still a reunion, even if it's missing a member."  
  
Relena's eyes softened with concern, "You're ok then Hilde?" Hilde pushed the tears back from her eyes, "Yes Relena, I'm fine. Fax me the details for the party and I'll see you in two weeks, ok?" Relena smiled, "Ok. In two weeks then. Goodbye Hilde, take care of yourself." "You too, Relena. Goodbye."  
  
With that the vidscreen went blank and Hilde was once again left alone in her home. The faint humming of her fax machine signaled that Relena had sent her the information. Hilde sighed and got up from her seat. She'd look over Relena's message once she'd had a warm shower.  
  
~End of Part One~  
  
Like I said, more coming soon! 


	2. Missing You: Reminiscing

Ok here it is.Part 2. Please review, lemme know whatcha think (. Enjoy. Disclaimer: not mine okies?  
~*~  
  
The days before Relena's party passed by quickly. Even though Hilde was kept quite busy with Preventer work, she still managed to find the time to buy an evening gown and schedule a flight to earth for the planned party date. She was going alone, but Relena said she would have Pagan meet her at the shuttle terminal and give her a ride to the mansion. Relena would be so busy hostessing the gigantic party that she couldn't make it to the airport to greet Hilde in person.  
  
And soon the day of the party arrived, much to Hilde's relief. Her stomach had been in knots all week with anticipation. She knew that it was going to be hard, not having Duo by her side at the reunion that he so deserved to attend. But she couldn't deny her longing to see her friends once again. It had been so long since they'd all been together, and she hadn't seen some of them since the end of the war.  
  
The Preventers had been given the day off, since they were all attending the anniversary gala also. So she'd had the entire day to prepare herself for her first trip to the earth in over a year. She'd missed having the real sunlight warming her shoulders, the fragrant breezes racing past her body and caressing her face. It would be a welcome vacation. But it would not be the same without Duo. She frowned. Nothing would ever be the same.  
  
She looked down at her hand. At the sapphire engagement ring that she still wore. It glittered innocently in her apartment lights, unaware of the painful memories it aroused. She felt the inscription on the inside of the band burning into her skin. But the words were burned into her mind and heart as well...'You're my Angel, my world, my everything.I love you.'  
  
A single tear slipped down her face. 'Oh, Duo.' She couldn't stop herself from thinking about it. The assignment.his smiling face, radiating confidence. Reassuring her that it would be like all the others; he would return home safe, just like always. But he hadn't.he'd never returned.  
  
She'd had a bad feeling about that assignment from the start. The Preventers had handed him a mission to subdue a possible uprising on a small sub-colony of L2. It was to be a highly difficult and quite possibly dangerous assignment. But Duo being the person he was, risk-taking and always ready for a new challenge, had taken the assignment without complaint.  
  
But Hilde had had plenty to complain about. She'd tried to keep him from going, but his natural confidence in himself and his abilities had made her feel somewhat better. Before he left, she'd made him promise that he would be careful. She still remembered it like it had happened yesterday, it was the last time she saw the man she loved.  
  
..."Now, Duo you have to promise me something." She looked up into his deep violet eyes as they embraced each other. "Anything, my angel." He said, face serious. "Please promise me that you'll be careful out there. You don't always have to be the hero, you know." This time he smiled, "But Hilde, I'm a Preventer. Being the hero and saving the day is my job." "Oh Duo." Her eyes began to fill with tears and she tightened her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. How long would she have to live without that carefree sense of humor? "Duo, I just want to know that I'll see you again. I don't know what I'd do if you.if you." She couldn't finish. She didn't want to imagine a life without Duo. And back then, she couldn't. She felt him rest his chin on the top of her head. This goodbye was hard on them both. "Hilde, we will see each other again. Don't worry; I will make it back to you. That's a promise. And I will be careful, ok? Besides, it can't be that hard to crush an uprising, now can it?" She laughed softly. Just hearing him promise to come home made her feel better about letting him go. She still had that bad feeling she just couldn't shake, but he seemed so confident, she would try not to worry. She leaned up on her tiptoes to give him a deep farewell kiss. They pulled away and he smiled at her with that beautiful infectious smile of his. And then he walked up the ramp to board the shuttle. Little did she know she'd never see him again...  
  
They hadn't even retrieved a body. And that is why she'd still had hope. For a couple months after his death, she'd believed that he would come walking through the door any day. There was no proof of his death, except for an explosion and a bloody cross.  
  
And that was all they'd found of him.the cross necklace that had meant so much. It had been his own memorial to loved ones that he'd lost many years ago, a symbol of his faith. And they'd found it, just floating among the aftermath of the explosion; spotted with Duo's blood.  
  
No one knew exactly what had happened that day. The entire colony and most of its inhabitants had been destroyed by the blast. The only survivors were a group of small children. They were found in a shuttle just outside the explosion's range. There were no adults aboard.  
  
When questioned as to how they managed to escape the danger, they told the authorities that a young man with a long braid had saved them. They called him their angel. They said that the "bad people" had come and killed their parents. They had all been frightened and alone, but then their angel had come and told them it would be all right. He hurried them onto the shuttle and sent them away to safety.  
  
When shown a picture of Duo, one of the youngest girls squealed and exclaimed, "It's him! That's our angel! How did you know what he looked like?" She then stepped forward and took the picture from the officer's hands. She kissed it and whispered softly, "Thank you, Angel, for saving me and my friends. Please say hi to mommy and daddy for me."  
  
Even after questioning the children, whoever set the explosives and annihilated the small colony remained a mystery. There was no record or way of knowing the culprit. But the resistance that had brought Duo to that desolate corner of space had disappeared for good. And Duo had disappeared with it.  
  
So over time, Hilde's hope had faded. The door never opened to reveal his smiling face, and she knew that if he had been alive, he would have come back to her by then.  
  
Her life had become a fairytale gone terribly wrong. She lived alone; her memory and devotion to Duo wouldn't allow her to love another. Not that she ever wanted to.Duo had been her one true soul mate, and she needed no one else. And besides, she still had the Preventers and her friends to fill her life.  
  
Hilde hoped that somewhere he was looking down on her. She hoped that he was happy and safe.in heaven, perhaps. She smiled a little. That guy could talk his way into anywhere, even through the pearly white gates if he had to. But she knew that he wouldn't have had to talk his way into that place in the clouds. He'd earned his ticket a hundred times over. And besides, he was already an angel in the eyes of those children.  
  
Hilde sighed and stood up. She stretched, feeling the occasional tendon popping back into place. Glancing at the clock on her wall, she realized that she didn't have much time left till she had to depart for the shuttle terminal. She tried to shake the thoughts of Duo from her mind as she walked in the direction of the shower. She had other things to focus on right then. Like the reunion with her friends.  
  
~*~  
  
End Part 2, more coming soon! 


	3. Missing You: Off to the Gala

Well here's Part 3. Enjoy ( Feedback is always welcome. Disclaimer: not mine, alrighties?  
  
~*~  
  
Hilde stepped out of the shower, feeling totally refreshed and ready for the night ahead. Walking through the main room of her apartment she noticed that a fax had come in while she'd been showering. Still in her bath towel, she headed for the fax machine. She lifted the paper from its slot and began to read:  
  
Hey Hilde! Hope you're ready for tonight. Just thought I'd let you know that Pagan's come down with the flu and he won't be driving tonight. I've had to hire a limo service, so just look for the silver limo at the terminal, okay? See you tonight, Hilde. Looking forward to it.  
  
-Relena.  
  
Hilde smiled in relief. At least she wouldn't have to ride in Relena's pink car. A silver limo sounded like much more fun. So she headed off for the bathroom to do her hair and make up.  
  
After about twenty minutes, Hilde emerged ready to put on her dress. All she'd really had to was her make up since her hair was short-cropped and only needed a little gel. But she had put some small flower clips in it to help keep her spiky bangs under control.  
  
For make up, Hilde chose a silvery eye shadow to bring out her deep blues. She'd applied mascara and then used an eye pencil to outline and accent her eyes. After that she'd topped it off with a simple sheer gloss and a bit of blush.  
  
She walked to her room, the anticipation beginning to build in her stomach. Lifting her gown from the peg on her door, Hilde felt an inward satisfaction at the way the material shimmered in the light. The dress itself was a pale shade of sea blue, the color that accented her eyes and hair best. Where the spaghetti straps met the gown, there was a band of lighter blue material. The straps were also light blue and the back of the dress was very low cut, with a loose lacing.  
  
After a final scrutinizing glance at her choice of eveningwear, Hilde took a deep breath. She slipped into the elegant gown, goose bumps forming on her skin at the feel of the slick, cool satin. She smoothed out the ripples gently before taking a look in her full-length mirror. A small smile graced her features. 'Well, at least it looks okay.'  
  
The gown was a perfect fit, forming to her now mature body. Even in just the last year her body had filled out, becoming less tomboyish and more like a woman's, with sensual curves and a more adult face.  
  
She was finally ready for the night.appearance-wise anyway. Her mind was still spinning with the excited anticipation of seeing her dearest friends for the first time in over a year. 'But can I really do this?' Self-doubt began to wash up on the shores of her mind, leaving behind thoughts of the past.  
  
'The last time most of us were together was.at Duo's memorial. The last time they saw me, I had tears in my eyes. Will it be the same tonight? No, I am going to try to have some fun at least. I'm due for a break. And besides, Duo wouldn't want me moping around; he would've be the first one to shove me out onto the dance floor.' She chuckled softly to herself. Yes, she'd have a good time, just like if Duo had actually been at her side.  
  
With that fresh and positive outlook on the upcoming event, Hilde glanced at the clock and realized she'd be late for her flight if she didn't hurry. She quickly slipped her feet into 3-inch heel sandals and did up the straps. She then strode as swiftly as she could over to her dresser. On it sat a small, elegant jewelry box, which she reached out and opened. She gently took out the golden cross, Duo's cross, and smiled a little as it glinted in the light. She held it to her lips and kissed it softly, and then clutched it over her heart as she left her room.  
  
In the entryway, she grabbed her miniscule handbag and a wrap the same sea blue as her dress. She slid Duo's cross into her handbag, along with a couple make-up essentials, and then, putting the wrap around her shoulders, she started for the exit. But she paused as she passed the bouquet of roses on the end table. 'Maybe Relena will recognize the handwriting.' She thought as she picked the card from the cluster of flowers and tucked it into her bag. She then swiftly headed out the door to catch her cab to the shuttle terminal.  
  
~*~  
  
The shuttle flight to earth was long, given that the L2 colony was the furthest from the planet. But in a matter of a couple hours, Hilde was gratefully stepping off of the shuttle and setting foot on the earth for the first time in many months.  
  
The ground under her feet felt the same as the ground in the colony, but it still stirred something in her heart. 'I'm back on earth again. It's been so long.' Without even noticing, a smile formed on her lips.  
  
After taking a long, deep breath of earth's fresh air, Hilde began to look about for the limo scheduled to meet her there. Within a few seconds, she saw it parked about fifty feet away from her. She set off in that direction, the gentle breeze making her dress flutter back and forth. She noticed the driver standing beside the vehicle, awaiting her arrival.  
  
She felt like some foreign dignitary gone to a distant conference. She just wasn't used to first class shuttle flights or wearing elegant gowns or having limos waiting for her. Now she knew what it must be like for Relena.  
  
She was soon just a few feet away, and the driver moved to open her door for her. He bowed slightly as she reached the side of the limo and climbed into the passenger compartment.  
  
She tried to get a look at his face as she got in, but his cap was pulled down and his features were hidden in shadows. So she just sat stock still in the luxurious leather seat, the butterflies beating their wings faster as the limo began to move out of the airport.  
  
About five minutes into the ride, Hilde began to relax in the large empty limo. Darkness had already fallen on earth, so she craned her neck to look at the star-filled sky out her window. She let out a small gasp in pleasure; she hadn't seen the stars quite like that for a long time. The driver noticed her stargazing and opened the skylight for her to get a better look.  
  
"Oh," she blushed slightly, "thank you." The driver chuckled. "No problem, Miss. Can't blame ya, it's a beautiful night out." He replied in a young and friendly voice. It had a familiar, comforting quality to it and made her very much at ease. She wondered if she had heard it somewhere before.  
  
She quickly dismissed the thought as the limo made a turn and the moon became visible through the skylight. It illuminated the entire interior with its brightness. She had missed the sight of the moon from earth; on L2 it was just too close to be that beautiful.  
  
She sighed quietly and settled herself back into the seat where she could be comfortable for the rest of the ride. She kept her eyes gazing at the moon, now much easier a task with the skylight open. 'That was really considerate of him. I'll have to thank him again when we get to Relena's.' She smiled slightly and wondered just how far from the airport Relena did live. Hilde'd never bothered to ask. Oh well, she'd find out soon enough.  
  
~*~ End of Part 3. More very soon!! 


	4. Missing You: Mystery of the Ring

The story continues.here's Part 4. Read and review pretty please? ^.^ Disclaimer: don't own them aight?  
  
~*~  
  
It took about half an hour until the limo was pulling into the long driveway leading to the immense Peacecraft estate. Hilde sat up straighter in her seat, her stomach starting to jump again. After what seemed like an hour, she spied the mansion at the end of the drive, and several limos pulling up to and away from it. She wondered fleetingly if any of them contained her friends.  
  
But all too soon they were in the line of limos unloading passengers, and when her turn came the driver once again got out and opened her door with a chivalric flourish that made her laugh. It reminded her of something Duo would've done. Her face sobered with that thought, but she was soon distracted by an ecstatic cry, "Hilde!!"  
  
She looked to see Relena coming towards her as fast as her dress would allow. She smiled at her friend and then turned back to the driver saying, "Thank you." But he was gone and her words blew away on the soft breeze. She looked about in confusion and even peeked into the limo; he wasn't anywhere around.  
  
Then she felt Relena's arm lock with hers in a gesture of friends too long parted. Giving up her search, Hilde turned back to her friend. "Oh, you finally got here! I was wondering if you were even going to show up." There was a teasing hint in Relena's voice that made Hilde smile again.  
  
"Hey, don't blame me! You're the one that hired the limo." They both laughed, glad just to be together again. "But really, was the limo okay? I've never used the service myself, but I'd heard from Quatre that it was good, with nice drivers." Relena said when they'd both finished laughing.  
  
Hilde nodded. "Yes, it was excellent. And the driver was very considerate, certainly a change from all those taxis on the colony." Relena grinned knowingly. She'd experienced the courtesy of taxi drivers on colonies once or twice. Not something one wished to go through too many times.  
  
They crossed the threshold and instantly were surrounded by the lights, laughter, conversation, and music of the celebration banquet. Hilde gave a little "Oh." in awe. Relena was quite the hostess; there wasn't a disappointed face in the entire crowd, and that was just in the high- ceilinged entrance hall. Relena laughed lightly and leaned over to whisper, "Wait till you see the dance hall. That's where the real action is," in Hilde's ear and gave a sly wink.  
  
"Is everyone here yet? Don't tell me I'm the last one." Hilde said despairingly as they made their way through the crowd. "Oh no, Hilde. Now that you're here, we're only waiting on Wufei and Sally, who had something to finish up at the headquarters, Quatre, who got held up at his corporation, and Heero, and lord knows where he is." Relena drifted off into a nervous chuckle. Hilde just hoped for her sake that Heero held true to his promise and made an appearance at least.  
  
"But, other than that, everyone's here. Want to go and see them? We're headed that way." Relena said and smiled at her friend, knowing the answer. "Well, of course I want to see them! You don't think I dragged my ass all the way from L2 just for you, do you?" She said teasingly and they both laughed again.  
  
Then Hilde remembered something and halted, reaching down to search through her handbag. "But first Relena, I've got something I want you to look at. Sure got me fooled. I know it's just a joke, but I want to know who's behind it." She slipped the envelope out of her bag and handed it to Relena, "Can you tell whose handwriting it is?"  
  
Relena pulled the card from the envelope and read it, her eyes widening in shock. "But.who would do something like this to you? How awful!" She said in anger and disgust. She kept her eyes on the card, trying to decipher the handwriting. She sighed and looked sadly up at her friend, "I'm sorry. I don't know whose it is, though it does look awfully familiar. Kind of a sweet message though, only if it hadn't been coming from a prankster."  
  
Hilde regarded Relena quizzically. "What message? All I saw was a signature." She said with a confused expression. "It's right there, along the top. Written really small, I'm not surprised you missed it." She pointed to the words and held the card so Hilde could view it. "There, see?" Hilde took it from Relena's hands to get a better look.  
  
Hilde's eyes scanned it. They widened and she read it again, and again. She threw the card to the ground as if it had bitten her. Her mouth hung open and her throat went dry. "It.it couldn't be. It just couldn't. How.how could they have known? How did they.? What kind of joke is this?" She stumbled around the words.  
  
~ ~  
  
Relena became worried at the sudden change in her friend. What was going on, anyway? She put her hand on Hilde's shoulder, "What's the matter, Hilde?" Hilde tore her eyes away from where the card lay on the floor and looked at her friend. Relena became even more worried.Hilde's skin had paled; she looked like she'd seen a ghost.  
  
"I don't understand it, Relena. How could they have known?" Relena's heart raced faster. Hilde was beginning to scare her. "How could they have known what?" She said gently, hoping her friend would stop being so cryptic. Hilde just regarded her for a second, obviously thinking something over. Seeming to come to a decision, she shifted her eyes to her hands and pulled a ring from her ring finger.  
  
Relena didn't understand what she was doing. Hilde placed the ring in Relena's hand. "Read it," she said in a soft voice. Relena was still puzzled, but she held the ring up to her eyes, admiring the way the sapphire glinted in the light. As she read the inscription, she only became more confused. It said almost the same thing as the card had. Only, the card had read: You're my angel, my world, my everything.I ~miss~ you.  
  
She handed it back to its owner. "So it says the same thing. Almost, anyway. What does that mean? Why's it got you all worked up?" Relena said softly to her shaken friend. "Don't you see Relena? That's the ring Duo gave me for our engagement," she slipped it back onto her finger, "Only he and I knew what it said. How could someone have known? I've barely taken it off since I've had it, let alone let anyone else read it."  
  
Understanding dawned in Relena's eyes, and she became even more nervous. She gripped Hilde's shoulder more firmly. Her friend was really starting to panic now; Relena could see it in her eyes and rapid breaths. "Let's go out upstairs and onto the balcony. We can both cool off there and get our heads together. Then we'll talk about it some more. No use doing it in the middle of this mob." Relena said and, seeing Hilde's slight nod, she lead the way out of the main entryway, through a small corridor, and up a large staircase.  
  
None of the partygoers were allowed on the second floor, so Relena and Hilde were met with no one to impede their progress. Relena entered her room and made straight for the balcony doors. She opened them and the rush of cool night air instantly calmed her nerves.a little anyway.  
  
Hilde visibly relaxed a bit, too. Getting away from the party life was already helping her calm her raging, swirling mind. She took off her wrap, tossing it onto a nearby chair. She then went over to the edge of the balcony and leaned her elbows on the railing. Relena walked up beside her and mimicked her stance, both of them just staring into the night sky for quite some time.  
  
~ ~  
  
Hilde was the first to break the silence. "I don't understand it, Relena. Duo's dead, everyone knows that. But how could anyone else have known what was inscribed in the ring? I mean, it just doesn't make sense." Relena sighed. "Well, maybe Duo told someone what the inscription was. Or maybe the jeweler." Hilde sighed, stopping Relena mid-sentence.  
  
"Yeah, maybe.I'm probably just being stupid. Hey, shouldn't you get back to the party? I'm sure that they can't go without you for long." Relena chuckled and stood back up straight. She knew it would be best if Hilde thought this out on her own for a little while. "Actually, I think I'll just go and make sure everything is still running smoothly. But I'll be right back, I promise."  
  
Hilde looked over at her friend and smiled slightly. "Ok.take your time, I'll be fine. Go make sure they haven't gotten too rowdy down there." She said and Relena chuckled softly. "Alright, I won't be long." Relena said and exited the balcony.  
  
Hilde sighed and looked back out to the stars, they were just as captivating as they had been from the limo. Relena hadn't turned the lights in her room on, so the moon cast an eerie glow on the whole scene. Hilde's face glowed with the soft illumination as she tried to ease her troubled thoughts. There was a rational explanation for this. There had to be.  
  
~ ~  
  
Relena was halfway back down the staircase, her eyes down at her feet, when she nearly bumped into an unexpected obstacle. She looked up, startled, to see a young man dressed in a chauffeur's suit, who had been on his way up the stairs. His cap was pulled far down, hiding his eyes. He stood a couple steps below her, and her height advantage made it even more difficult to see his face.  
  
She quickly regained her composure, "Excuse me, sir, but this area of the house is off-limits. If you would please return to the." He put up his hand, silencing her. She just stared at him indignantly, wondering what this stranger was doing traipsing about her house.  
  
"Hello, Relena. I've been looking all over for you." Relena's eyes widened in shock as she recognized the deep husky voice. Tentatively she reached out for his cap, and when he made no move to stop her, she slowly lifted it off his head. An unruly crop of rich brown hair fell back into place, obscuring but not hiding a pair of cobalt blue eyes.  
  
Relena gasped. "Heero?" She squeaked. A slight, rare smile fell across his lips and he bowed slightly. She could do nothing but stare in astonishment. She was almost afraid to blink, fearing she was just imagining him before her. It had been two years since she'd seen him last, two long years.and now the perfect soldier was before her once again.  
  
He held his arm out to her and she shyly accepted it, never taking her eyes from his. She finally found her voice again, "Heero, I'm pleased that you were able to come. Most of us are already here. Would you like to go and say hi?" She smiled at him, mostly because she'd been able to keep her voice steady. "Very much." Was his simple reply, but Relena had expected nothing more. So she nodded and they began walking side-by-side back down the stairs.  
  
~*~ End Part 4. .More soon ^.~ 


End file.
